Damon Huard returns to UW

Damon Huard, the Huskies’ No. 3 all-time passer, is returning to the University of Washington, but not as Steve Sarkisian’s quarterbacks coach.

Huard will be the major gifts officer for the Tyee Club starting next month, the school announced Tuesday.

Huard, a Puyallup native and 1995 graduate of UW, will be “assisting the development team’s external relations within the Puget Sound community,” the school said in a news release.

Huard was a three-year starter for the Huskies, throwing for 5,692 yards. He played 13 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. Now he’ll lend his name recognition and local ties to the athletic department’s fundraising efforts.

“He gives our efforts a lot of credibility,” assistant athletic director Jennifer Cohen said in the news release. “People know him. They believe in him. They relate to him. They understand that he’s one of them. He’s a very respected person.”